Toy electric railway



1,647,173 I Nov. 1,1927. LCARUSO v TOY ELECTRIC RAILWAY Filed Oct. 34.1925 54 55 35b $56 7 {s1 3 5% ll ,QQGAW INVENTOR v ATTORNEY PatentedNov. 1, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFiucE- LOUIS OAR-USO, OI IBVINGTON, NEW JERSEY,ASSIGNOB TO THE LIONEL CORPORA- IION, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TOY ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

Application iiled.0otober 24, 1925. Serial 1T0. 64,847.

This invention relates to toy electric railways. Among the objects ofthe mventionis to provide a device of the character described whichshall comprise comparatively few and simple parts, shall be readllyattachable directly to the toy track, and efiicient in operation to ahigh degree.

Other objects of this inventlon will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out.

Certain features herein shown and described are shown, described, andclaimed 1n my co-pending application Serial No. 28,7 63, filed May 8th,1925.

- The invention accordingly conslsts 1n the features of construction,combinations of elements and arrangement of parts, which will beexemplified in the construction. hereinafter described, and of which thescope of application will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which s shown one of the variouspossible illustrative embodiments of this invention,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a toy railway installation equipped withan improved automatic train stoppm and restarting control and signalingevice embodying the invention; v

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the w1ring system and a perspectiveview of the rear side of the control device panel;

Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the rear side of the control device panel;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 in Fig. 3showing the contacts in their normal position; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the third rail showingparts broken away to show the pin connection.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the invention is there shown appliedto a toy railway track system comprising two main rails, 10, usuallyattached in proper spaced relation to each other and. at suitablelengths by means of cross ties 11, the connection between the rails andcross ties indicated at 12 being of any convenient or conventional type,and a third or power rail 13 extending between the main rails 10, 10which is secured to the cross ties, said rails being constructed in thewell known manner pin 14 (see Fig. 5).

and sup lied with power from any sultable source not shown) through theconductor wires 18. The tracks are preferably made in standard sectionsjoined together.by means of a pin and socket connection-in the wellknown manner.

At any desired point along the track, as for example, in the portionpassing a station indicated .at S in Fig. 1, a section 13 is insulatedfrom the remainder of the third rail as at 13 and 13 by replacing theusual metallic connector pins by a fibre An automatic train stopping andrestarting and signaling control device 15 embodying the invention isshown incorporated as .a unit in a toy tower '16, and is preferablyconnected to the track system by a binding member 17 which may be madeintegral with the base 16 of the tower '16, or may have the latterfirmly mounted on the base portion 17 of said member by anysuitablemeans, such as screws 17 b (see Fig. 1). Extending from said baseportion17 is a yoke member 17 having spaced arms 19 and 19 which are ofsuflicient length to reach beneath the rail 10, and also beneath andbeyond the third rail 13. Current carryin strips 21 and 21* may beinsulated from an secured to the under side of the arms 19 and 19respectively, each strip extending beyond the free end of the arms 19and 19 and being upturned to form contact clips 22 and 22 respectivelyfor engaging the rail 13. The other ends of said strips opposite saidclips may be constructed to pass through the yoke member 17 and connectwith the external binding or terminal posts A and B of the device 15. Agrip lever 23 is pivoted to the yoke member 17 for engaging with theoutside flange ofthe rail 10, i. e. the side remote from the third railto firmly and positively anchor the binding member 17 to the tracks.Thus, as will be seen from Fig. 1, the current carrying strips 21 and 21are brought into close contact with the third rail and with theinsulated rail section 13 in conjunction with which the device 15operates, as will hereinafter appear. The connection with rail 10 servesas a grounded current carrying means to the structure of. the tower 16.

The device 15 is seen to comprise a thermostatic control switchingmechanism mounted on a panel 25 and two semaphores 26 and 27, saiddevice being preferably constructed to form a unit by installing themechanism and panel in the tower base 16', and the semaphores at the topof the tower as shown in Fi 1. The tower and semaphores are pre erablyconstructed and arranged to simulate in appearance hke apparatus used inactual railway signal work, the semaphores comprising a green and redtransparent window 26 and 27 in the top housing of the tower 16' throughwhich lights 26 and 27 respectively are arranged to show for flashingsignals controlled by the device 15.

The thermostatic switch control mechanism of the device 15 is seen tocomprise a flexure member 28 which has one end anchored by a screw 29 ona raised support 30 so that the member 28 is spaced from the rear sideof the panel, the free ends of said member 28 projecting through anopening 31 in a mid-portion of a carrying bar 31 extending transverselythereto. The bar 31 pivots at 31 on an angle piece 32 and carries on itsfree end at right angles thereto an arm 34. Mounted on oppos1te sides ofthe arm 34 are contacts 35 and 35", and spaced from the former isanother contact 36. The contact 35 is normally adjusted to connect witha contact terminal 37 fixed on the rear side of the panel 25; and thecontacts 35 and 36 are adapted to engage respectively contact terminals38 and 38 when the pivoted bar 31 is raised on flexing of the member 28out of normal position; said contacts 35 and 36 being mounted to projectdown from the overhanging ends of spaced Z-shaped supports 40 and 41respectively. The Z-supports 40 and 41 may have ears or lugs 40 and 41into which are threaded binding screws 42 and 43 respectively, and mayeach be secured to the panel in any suitable manner. The Z-support 40has a portion thereof extending through the panel 21 to form a bindingpost B. A binding screw 44 likewise extends through said panel and isspaced therefrom to form part of the binding post A.

Any suitable heating means may be provided for effecting the flexure ofmember 28, as for example a plurality of turns of heater wire 45 woundover an asbestos or like insulating covering 46 on said member 28 asshown in Figs. 2 and 3. One end of the wire 45 and the end of thepivoted bar 31 may be connected with the binding screw 44 and theterminal post A, by means of conductor wires 47 and 48, the other end ofthe wire 45 being connected to the binding screw 42 and terminal B.

A hook ended lever 49 for manually throwing the device 15 in and out ofoperation is provided, said lever having a handle 49 extending out fromthe front of the panel 25 and pivoted to an angle piece 50 mounted onthe rear side of the panel 25. The free end of the lever is ada ted inone extreme position to engage wit a slotted lug 31 projecting from thebar 31 for making the device inefiective.

The operation of the device will now be clear. The locomotive is reresented in the drawing by wheels 51 whic are driven by motor 52, thelatter receiving ower'in the well known manner from t e track 10 througha contact shoe 53 riding on the third rail and through the wheels 51.

Assume the train to be travelin in the direction indicated by the arrows own in Fig. 1 and the lever 49 disengaged from the pivoted bar 31.Before the locomotive reaches the insulated section 13 of the thirdrail, the parts of the automatic train stoppin restartin and signalingdevice are in t eir norma effective position shown in Fig. 2 and in fulllines in Fig. 4, the current passing from the main line portion of thethird rail 13 through the current carrying strip 21 to binding post A,and thence to the conductor wires 47 and 48. The current through wire 48passes through the bar 31, the arm 34 to the contacts 35 and 37, to ajumper 54 having one end connected to contact 37 and the other to a wire56 secured thereto by means of a binding screw which connects with oneterminal 27 of the lamp 27 positioned behind the red colored window 27in the tower 16. The other terminal of the lamp 27 is permanently Hillgrounded as at G, to the structure of the tower 16 as is also rail 10through the lever 23 of the binding member 17, thus completing thecircuit and causing the red light to show in the tower (see Figs. 1 and2).

When the train reaches the portion of the track which includes theinsulated section 13 the direct power circuit to the shoe 53 and themotor 52 is interrupted. The current then flowing to the motor 52 issupplied through current carrying strip 21 to binding post A, and thencethrough conductor wire 47, heater coil 45, binding screw 42, Z-shapedmember 40 and current carrying strip 21" to the insulated rail section13 which connects through the shoe 53 with the motor 52. It is apparentthat due to the resistance of the heater coil in series with the motor52, the power to the latter is materially reduced and the train stopsbecause of insufiicient power supply. After a short interval of time theheater coil 45 due to the flow of current, heats the flexure member 28sufficiently to cause it to flex from its normal position to that shownin dotted lines in 1g. 4. The movement of member 28 swings the bar 31and the arm 34 andbreaks the circuit there to contacts 35" and 37, thusextinguishing the li' ht 2'2 behind the red colored window w ile thecontact 35! on the other side oi the arm 34 engages contact 38 causingthe current to flow through arm 34, contacts 36 and 39, Z-shaped member41, to a wire 57 secured thereto by means of binding screw 43, andconnecting with one terminal 26 of the lamp 26 being positioned behindthe green colored window 26 in the tower 16. The other terminal ofthelamp 26 is permanently grounded as at G to the structure of the tower 16from which the circuit 19 completed through the grounded rail 10, thuscausing the green light to show in the tower.

The flexing of the member 28 also causes the contacts 35 and 38 toengage and thereby permit the direct flow of current from the third rail13 to the bar 31, terminal B and strip 21' to the rail section 13. Fullvoltage is now impressed on the locomotive motor 52 which automaticallyrestarts the train. After the locomotive passes over the rail section13, the current through the heater coil 45 is cut off and the member 28is permitted to cool and to return to its initial position,

thus automatically extinguishing the green and relighting the redsignal.

To make the device 15 inoperative, the lever 49 is swung so that the endengaging the slotted lug 31 of the bar 31, is eflective to retain saidbar and arm 34 out of its norosition. The third rail section 139 is bdirectly connected to the third rail the green light then showscontinumal 13, and ously.

From the foregoing description, the advanta es of the device andapparatus above descri ed will be at once apparent.

It will be noted that the signal lamp and the electrical controlmechanism for the lamps and the stopping and restarting of the train areall assembled and embodied in a neat and compact si al and switch towerunit which may be so (1 se arately and readily connected to a stan ardtoy railway track system, it being simply necessary in some manner toinsulate a section of the third rail. To this end small fibre pins maybe furnished together with the tower unlt for replacing the metallic pinconnectors, thus making the matter of connectingthe standard electrictoy outfit into one having the interesting train and signalin controlfeatures above described so simp e as to permit installation andoperation by the average child.

It will be thus seen that there is rovided a device in which the severalob ects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted tomeet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention,and as various charge: might be made. inthe embodiment we set forth, itis to be understood that all y matter herein set, {forth I or shown inthe accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as'illustrative and not inali'mitin sense. a j

' aving thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. In a to railroad, a track and third rail systemormed of standard sections including an insulated third rail section, anelectrically operated thermostatic switch for automatically reducing andincreasing the power supplied to the" insulated rail section, and meansfor rigidly connecting the switch to the said rails, said meansincluding a pair of current carryin strips connectmg the third railsystem an insulated section to the switch. a

2. In a to railroad, a track and third rail system ormed of standardsections including an insulated third rail section, an

. electrically operated thermostatic switch for automatically reducingand increasing the power supplied to the insulated rail section,

and means for rigidl connecting the switch to the said rails, an asemaphore for indicating the switch operation, said switch, means andsemaphore forming a unit independent of the track system.

3. In a toy railroad having rails, a power rail free from moving partsand an electrically operated thermostatic switch connected in circuitwith the power rail comprising a flexure member, a heater coilsurrounding the same, a pivoted current carrying bar 0 erated by saidmember, a contact moved y said bar, and a fixed contact connected to aninsulated section of the power rail, said contacts being normally spacedfrom each other and adapted to engage on heating of the flexure member.

4. automatic train stopping and restartlng device for a toy electricrailroad comprising an electricall operated thermostatic switchadapted-to e connected in circuit with the power supply, said switchincluding a single flexing member, a pivoted one-piece current carryingbar actuated by said member, contacts normally held out of engagement bysaid bar adapted to reduce the power from a portion of the track systemto stop the train alon said portion, and a heating means arran cf toflex said memher for engaging sai contacts to connect said portionlrectly to the power supply, on the passage of the train along saidportion to automatically restart the train.

5. An automatic train stopping, restarting and signaling device for atoy electric railroad comprising an electrically operated thermostaticswitch adapted to be connected in circuit with the ower suppl saidswitch including a single exing mem r, a pivoted 5 tem to stop the trainalong said portion, a

heating means arranged to flex said member for engaging said contacts toconnect said portion directly to the power supply on passage of thetrain along said portion to automatically restart the train, and othercontacts operated by said bar adapted to control a semaphore to indicatethe normal and flexed position of said member.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

LOUIS CARUSO.

